Who You End Up With Depends on This Surprising Factor, Study Finds

While "birds of a feather flock together" is decidedly less interesting than "opposites attract," the former adage may be more accurate than we think. According to a new study published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, people are more likely to settle down with a person who's genetically and physically similar to themselves.

After analysing data from three separate studies on the genetic makeup of 24,000 heterosexual couples of European descent, the team found that most couples were "more likely to date someone who was of similar height, body mass index, and even blood pressure," reports Refinery29. The researchers also took a look at educational achievement, finding that people were drawn to partners with similar educational backgrounds as their own.

It's also worth mentioning that this homogenous sample size (exclusively heterosexual people from the same ethnic background) leaves little room for dating variation in the first place. At the very least, it's interesting to see how genetics and familiarity subtly influence our romantic interests.

Do you tend to gravitate toward romantic partners who are similar to yourself? Share your thoughts below!